Silver bells and cockle shells
by akaeve
Summary: written for NFA challege nursery rhyme challenge.


Mary Mary quite contrary,

How does your garden grow,

With silver bells and cockle shells,

And pretty maids all in a row.

They had found the bodies horribly mutilated and tortured. Dr Mallard had surmised the time of death to be between 10 and 12 hours previously. He would know precisely when he had the bodies tucked up in autopsy.

"So what you got Duks, " as Special Agent Gibbs strode into the room with his usual confident walk. He saw the three bodies laid out for examination.

"Jethro why are you always so impatient? These poor souls are not going anywhere...and therefore have all the time in the e world….you on the contrary are always in a hurry. They did however not die gently….actually I was just saying to Mr Palmer, that it reminds me of a children's nursery rhyme, Mary, Mary quite contrary, not just because of Mary here, but the wounds or marks that have been inflicted on their being."

"Explain Ducky, in English." Gibbs now questioned looking perplexed.

"How does your garden grow? Mary here was pregnant, the seeds of life. But looking at these three bodies it makes you wonder if you may have a serial killer…."

"Again Duks…in English"

"What Dr Mallard it trying to say is the bodies are graves, garden of remembrance….garden growing as in more bodies." Jimmy answered, shaking his head at the look Gibbs gave him.

"Jethro…silver bells, old fashioned thumb screws . Our Captain here has had all his fingers smashed broken, and not only that but look," walking to the body and pointing to the genitals, "They have been cupped….. capped by some cylindrical objects….similar to cockle shells. We have a sadistically killer, who maybe has the mind of a child. I am not saying, it is a child , but the IQ is not very high. You could also say Mary had a little lamb, as she was carrying the child."

"Our third victim, the Lieutenant?" now looking down at the body and the head lying apart. The body had been decapitated.

"What did you find from him?, apart from the fact that it looks like he had his head taken off by what would appear to be an axe."

"Very observant Jethro…..yes….but Abigail has confirmed that the dirt found from under his finger nails, is in fact animal faeces….sheep to be precise. Oh and Jethro…" Dr Mallard didn't get to finish, as Gibbs turned and walked away.

"Shame, Dr Mallard you never got the chance to explain your thoughts on the pretty maids…..how the maids could be "The Maiden" the Scottish guillotine…."

"Yes Mr Palmer…I think our murder was interrupted before he could decapitate the others."

As Gibbs returned to the bullpen, he saw that Tony was hurriedly switching from one screen to another , one day he would find out what he was doing, no ask IT.

"What did Ducky say?" he enquired of Gibbs.

"That, the Lieutenant had sheep dirt under his nails, so McGee, find out if any of our victims had farming connections. Ziva, pre-natal records for Mary."

"And me Boss," DiNozzo enquired.

"Tell me what you were looking up and I'll tell you." Gibbs now smiled.

"I….I….was just checking on the weather in the area we found the bodies. They were looking rather bedraggled, as Ducky was saying….after he…..we had found them…"

"Well lets go and see the area again."

"Together?" Tony asked.

"Only if you let me drive and…of course together DiNozzo, do you think I would let you out on your own?" Gibbs shouted.

"No Boss." as Tony grabbed his gear, "What we looking for?"

"An axe or what may be left of it." as Gibbs headed for the elevator.

Gibbs parked the car, by the side of the road. He got out and walked to tree line. He turned and looked out over the land. Gibbs squinted his eyes, in the distance he saw, or what he thought he was a flickering light. A mirror or a metal scarecrow. The wind wafted a foul smell.

"Wow…..Boss….you?" Tony didn't finish as he saw the look in Gibbs eyes.

"Over there….beside that hill…." pointing.

Tony peered….."Yeh a shack. See it. But what?"

"Pigs." as Gibbs turned and headed back to the vehicle.

"Pigs….like muck…like…could I have shoe coverings?"

"Like…. always moaning DiNozzo?" as Gibbs started the car and headed down the road, turning into a track and off to the wooden shack.

They stopped in what appeared to be a paddock. Gibbs got out the car and looked about. He heard grunting coming from behind the shack.

"Sounds like someone is enjoying a bit of afternoon activity….." Tony whispered.

"You would know this?" Gibbs questioned smiling.

"No, I mean it sounds like someone or something is enjoying….digging myself in Boss."

"Could say that DiNozzo." as they saw a man approach.

"Help you gentlemen?" the stranger enquired.

"Gibbs NCIS," as he flashed his badge, "You the owner?"

"Nope."

"Hired hand?" Tony now asked.

"Nope."

"Man of few words?"

"Yep."

"So" Gibbs asked getting slightly angry, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Name's, Abraham…..I live over there," pointing to another shack. "But that's mine and I look after his place for my cousin."

"Your cousin got a name?" Gibbs now asked.

"Jeramiah."

"And what does Jeramiah, do for a living?" asked Gibbs beginning to think that drawing teeth was simpler.

"He's a farmer."

"Where?" Tony now questioned, as he lifted his foot, realising he had stepped in something squelchy.

"Next turning, up off the road up there. He keeps sheep and cattle."

"I don't suppose you keep an axe here? As he saw the smoke rising from the other shack.

"Have I got an axe? Got plenty….different sizes. You want to see…" as he indicated for Gibbs to follow.

They walked behind the shack and saw a pen full of pigs, well six or seven.

"Never need garbage collection round here, these critters eat anything." Abraham said, "But my axes are there….well they were all there, I'm missing two." he pointed.

Tony and Gibbs looked at each other, they now knew they had found something.

Gibbs called from the car, "Found anything McGee?"

"Yes…..Boss….Mary had a cousin named….."

"Jeramiah?"

"You know this Boss?" Tim enquired, "And he has…"

"A smallholding of sheep and cattle….." Gibbs replied.

"Yes Boss….and the Captain…he had…"

"A cousin called Abraham, who just happens to be the cousin of Jeramiah, so tell me

McGee where does our Lieutenant come into it?"

"Abby says he is the father of Mary's boy child."

"Shit" DiNozzo shouted looking at his shoes.

"My thoughts exactly Tony" as Gibbs drove back to the office smiling.

"So," Gibbs shouted, as he entered the bullpen." What do we have? Hope you got a wall chart McGee? Any thoughts David.? DiNozzo shoes to Abby now."

"Boss." Tim enquired, " What did you find out apart from what I told you."

"Nothing" now looking at Tim, "You?"

"Yes Boss. We have established that there have been several disappearances of vagrants and other persons in the local vicinity."

"David…elaborate."

"We. that is Tim..sorry McGee and I, "seeing the look in Gibbs eye. "have established that over the last year several people have gone missing ….some pregnant women" as she paused for breath.

"And?"

"Pig farm…..several people missing in area, mostly vagrants and now, I know why I do not eat pork," Ziva replied.

"Meaning?"

"Gibbs what do you think? Personally we have an abortion clinic…with…."

"Attitude." Tony replied. "Sorry….problem." as he saw Gibbs' look.

"I would agree. I think we need to bring in the family…"

"Whose family?" McGee enquired.

"Which family?" Ziva now asked.

"The extended one…." Gibbs replied.

They watched through the two way mirror, that would be Gibbs and Tony, at Abraham who was being interviewed or should that be interrogated by Tim and Ziva.

"You keep pigs?" she asked.

"Nope."

"But they are on your land." Ziva added.

"Not my land." Abraham replied.

"What my colleague is trying to establish" McGee now added, "Is that the pigs are tended by you?"

"Why she not say that?" Abraham answered, "I only answered her questions."

"I know Abraham, but she needs to ascertain who the pigs belong to, and what your part is in their upkeep. So, who do the pigs belong too."

"My cousin Jeramiah."

"Bit like drawing teeth." Gibbs said looking at DiNozzo. "Right our turn." as they went to the next interrogation room.

"Jeramiah?" Gibbs asked, as he thumped some papers on the desk.

"Yep." he replied.

"Your pigs?"

"Yep."

"What you know of missing vagrants?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing….I mean my pigs need to eat, and I take what is given."

"By whom?" DiNozzo questioned.

"My cousin Elishah."

"That would be Captain Elishah Brown?"

"Heh…you know him?" Jeramiah questioned, beginning to smile, the middle teeth missing. Tony wondered if infact the teeth had been drawn at some point.

"I wouldn't say that I know him, but he is lying in my autopsy and he is kinda beaten up. So you gonna explain?" Gibbs now asked in his best interrogation voice. Tony lifted his foot and looked at the sole of his foot, he thought he smelt something strange, and then looked at Jeramiah.

Gibbs just looked at them both.

"Why did you let them both go?" Ziva asked of Gibbs.

"You want to find out something you follow…..and against what I say about Rule 1, never letting suspects stay together, I have to go with Rule 27 there are two ways to follow: 1st way they never notice you, 2nd way they only notice you."

They left NCIS Naval Yard in two cars. Tony and Gibbs, together in one, and Tim and Ziva in the other. Tim had really wanted to ride with Gibbs, only because his foot kept going through the imaginary brake pedal with Ziva. Not that she was a bad driver. Just he wanted to see his grandchildren grow up.

"You know where we are going?" he asked her nervously.

"Gibbs said the shack up the road from the farm. He was going back to the pig farm.." as she put the foot down and sped off, overtaking Gibbs. He just smiled.

As Gibbs and DiNozzo, got to the pig farm they saw a pickup exit the road end. Gibbs held back and then began to follow. They followed to the other farm.

"Tony call Ziva, tell her and Tim to be careful we're on our way." as Gibbs turned the car into the farm track and followed the 1st car down, before stopping mid way. Gibbs watched as Abraham got out the car and headed for the shack, he could just make out Ziva and Tim round one of the outbuildings. He indicated to Tony to drive. He drove slowly down to the farm. As they got out the car they heard music.

"Iron Maiden." Gibbs whispered.

"Heh…you know this Boss?"

"I wasn't born yesterday…..don't say a word unless you want a desk job."

"Wasn't…..but was that not a scream?" Tony now asked. They listened again…yes a scream, but the music was stifling. Gibbs indicated they follow the noise. They could see that one of the outbuildings doors were open…..that was where the noise was coming from. Gibbs just hoped that the other two were Ok. He needn't have worried, he saw Tim and Ziva gingerly appear from round the frame wok. He indicated with his gun, the door. They approached and listened.

"You just couldn't give up could you….you had to tell."

"I didn't tell the feds nothing…..you were the one that killed them. You used one of my axes." they heard Abraham whimper.

"Well I ain't gonna let you away this time…I got the barrel….I made it myself…I'm gonna make you sit in it."

"No please…" as they watched Jeramiah point the shotgun at his cousin and force him to the whiskey barrel. It looked like an old fashioned "iron maiden."

"I'm gonna kill you slowly, like I did the others. And then I'm gonna chop your head off. I made a nice guillotine with your axes. And then….. my pigs could do with a feast." Jeramiah began to shout.

"Freeze…Federal Agents" Gibbs shouted….. "Games over….you're under arrest for the murders…." as Jeramiah turned round and pointed the shotgun at Gibbs Ziva pulled the trigger of her weapon. Jeramiah was dead before he hit the ground. Abraham just dropped to his knees and wept, "Thank you" he cried. "Can I tell you all about it now?"

Gibbs nodded, as he helped him to his feet and handed him to Tim, "Only thing I got to take you in."

Abraham smiled and nodded. Everything was going to be fine. As Tim led Abraham to the car.

The End.


End file.
